Chile from Within A beautiful and haunting photographic remembrance and personal history of the events surrounding Allende's overthrow and takeover by Pinochet, including the 15 years of disappearances and reign of state terror

m-pyrical movies

Antonia's Line This week I advocate a really weird philosophical family epic about life and death and really weird people you just have to love. Beautiful and funny and with a hilarious sex scene like you've never experienced.

Maggie's Picks

The Big Chill My life's challenge: how to maintain my ideals and passion no matter what

m-pyrical music

The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow This is one of my favorites, and from Albuquerque boys, too! I mean, how perfect a song is "Mine's Not a High Horse"? PERFECT, I tell you!

Iron & Wine and Calexico: In the Reins If you like Iron & Wine (I do) and you like Calexico (I do), give this collaboration a try. Each song is good for distinctly different reasons. It works, but unexpectedly so.

Friday, June 16, 2006

Listening to The National

Maggie says:A friend who'd be horrified at being m-pyrically outed (so will therefore be kept anonymous) burned a CD for me a couple weeks ago, and it's become an absolute obsession. The CD is Alligator by The National. And really, listen to this thing at your own risk, because it will jam itself into your head and NEVER LEAVE.

The sound is a melodic, gorgeous up-and-down mix: a leisurely, moody tryst followed by a quick, angry sprint followed by a jaunty, biting skip. It's somehow dark and foreboding without sounding like either. It's a deep voice that cuts through your brain with lyrics that lull you into their pace and mood.

Probably what's really happening here is my full realization that I have a major crush on singer/songwriter Matt Beringer, he of the deep voice, confessional lyrics, and unapologetic arrogance. Somehow the same man sings "I'm a perfect piece of ass" and "For a little while you'll be here, the only good part of me" and it works. I think that's because in the moments in between humility and self-confidence, he's vulnerable but no saint, like so many of us: "Break my arms around the one I love, And be forgiven by the time my lover comes."

"Secret Meeting" is the song that haunts me all through my workday. All the others I play extremely loudly while driving fast. So... having a "stilted, pretending day?" Listen to this CD and it'll make it all better.

"Baby, come over, I need entertainingI had a stilted, pretending dayLay me down and say something prettyLay me back down where I wanted to stayJust say something perfect, something I can stealSay, look at meBaby, we'll be fineAll we've gotta do is be brave and be kindI pull off your jeans, and you spill jack and coke in my collarI melt like a witch and screamI'm so sorry for everything"